Nancy Jean (Hanks) Baker

Nancy Jean Hanks Baker, passed away September 3, 2023.  She was born August 1, 1929.  She was preceded in death by her parents, Dr. Ralf and Blanche Hanks, and by her husband of 72 years, Dr. Roger Baker, and her sister, Elizabeth Hanks duBois, her daughter, Anita Diane Baker and son-in-law, Walter Jones.

She is survived by daughters, Beverly Jones and Connie Baker of Greensboro; Cynthia Woerndle and her husband, Dr. Richard Woerndle of Beaufort, SC; six grandchildren, Katie and her husband, Dan McLaughlin of Cary, NC; Kyle and his wife, Emily Jones of Greensboro, NC; Geoffrey and his wife, Arisa Jones of Woodbridge, VA; Grant and his wife, Ally Woerndle of Columbus, Ohio; Glenn and her husband, Jason Needham of Greenbelt, Maryland; and Garrett Woerndle, of Columbus, Ohio. Along with seven great grandchildren.

Nancy lived a colorful life.  Her father was the head of a number of mental hospitals in Missouri.  Nancy lived on the grounds of the State Hospitals.  Generally, the parents of her classmates would refuse to allow their children to visit her there.  So, the patients and staff would become Nancy’s friends and playmates; her playground consisted of the hospital grounds, the administrative building, the kitchen, sometimes the wards, and the secret tunnels used to move equipment and patients alike.  The staff were her servants. Her clothes were laid out, baths were drawn, meals prepared, and she was chauffeured to school in the staff car.  Her father ignited her passion for reading.  She was an award winning skeet shooter under his instruction and they shared a love of photography.

She was salutatorian of her high school and had many scholarship options.  Unfortunately, an untimely stroke caused her father to resign his position; the family had to move in with Ralf’s sister, Jean Hanks in Kirksville, MO.  Nancy attended Kirksville State Teachers College.  In college she excelled on the debate team and was awarded the Regents Award and scholarship medal and membership in Pi Kappa Delta.  She was active in theatrical productions and had her own radio show, “Ask Harriet”.  She met and married her husband, Roger, a student in the Osteopathic School of Medicine. 

When Roger accepted an internship in Columbus, Ohio, Nancy continued her education at the Ohio State University where she became a majorette.  This set Roger up with excellent football tickets even though they had no furniture.

At the beginning of their marriage, Nancy didn’t know how to boil water, but eventually like everything she tackled, she picked up cooking quickly.  She would prepare complicated, time consuming recipes from many sources…..using every pot and pan in the kitchen.  Roger or the girls were always the clean up crew.

After raising her four girls, she became more active in her church and eventually became the editor of their weekly newspaper, The FCC News.  At the time, First Community was the largest church in Ohio and her publications could be 20+ pages long; complete with photography usually provided by her.  She was highly regarded for her wit, intelligence, and literary knowledge.  Everyone wanted her on their Trivial Pursuit team.  She fueled her own fire, when it came to garage sales and could never get enough; she’d bargain down to the last penny for old sheet music.  She read the Encyclopedia for fun and relaxation.  She wrote murder mysteries for dinner groups with a neighbor, organized road rallies as fund raisers, and was published in the New Yorker.  She played bridge, tennis and golf.  She enjoyed gardening, painted with both acrylics and watercolors, and love her daily computer games with George Stultz of Bluffton, Ohio.  She played the piano with great gusto, and also enjoyed drumming and dance classes.  A day didn’t go by without puzzles, Wordle, Mexican Dominos or a crossword… or two… or three… let’s face it, she loved games of all sorts.

Nancy was not by any means your typical Mom—we painted large murals on the basement walls, spoke Spanish at lunch on Wednesdays and when she’d read to us at night, it was from a book far beyond our grade level – but somehow we caught on and we were hooked.  We all love to read.  She was not so much a kissy or cuddly Mom.  In this household; we were issued, what she called “thonks” (a rapid blow on the head with one finger) or a pinch on the bottom as a form of endearment.  She pinched all her grandchildren and great grandchildren as well, then it became a game of tag.

I could write many more pages, but I would not do my Mom justice—she was just such a unique and interesting, diverse person, a cut above, loved and admired by many.

As my mother always enjoyed having the last word, I’ll end here with a quote from one of her more recent essays entitled, “Flux”.

Well, I find myself on the brink of a new season.  I’m going to see some changes, some expected, some that I didn’t expect.  We depart for we know not where, wind our watches, put our keys in our pocket and jump boldly into the chaos, humming a tune that we know.

Nancy Baker

Wright Funerals-Cremations, High Point is in charge of  arrangements.